Seat



Nov. 10, 1931. E. P. SHERMAN SEAT- Filed Oct. 1, 1930 INVENTOR. ZZPOLQ l AY/Zrman Mme/v5 W k 7 42M, f q 2 W n n a: l 17 Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTO mm 1. SHERMAN,- or ASHTABULA, 01110, nssxenon o .ASBTABHLA comm- GATED BOX COMPANY, or AsnrABULA, 01110., A CORPORATION, 01 011,10

sna'r Application filed October 1, 1980.. SeriaI No. 485,599.

This invention, relating, as indicated, to a seat is more articularly directed to the provision of a ock' down seat of corrugated paper board construction, or of other material having suitable characteristics, and one which is especially adapted to be used in stadia and other places where people watching games, or other amusements, need to be protected against-both heat and cold. The seat affords a further protection against moisture and wind and is made of one piece construction so folded as to present a resilient spring back portion to support the back of the sitter, the rear of said back portion being a very valuable space upon which to place advertising matter, 'The invention, therefore, has a twofold purpose, first, to provide a protective knock down seat, and, second, to provide a unique sign which is bound to be "observed by anyone sitting either in the rear or to the side of the before mentioned seat.

The seat being made 'of corrugated paper board or other light weight sheet material combiningv stiffness with resiliency, and rea sonably impervious to wind and water for periods of an hour or two is not only advantageous in that wind and moisture is kept away from the body of one sitting therein, but the manner in which it is folded together presents a cushion which is far superiorto the ordinary rough board or concrete seats now prevalent in conventional stadia.

The seat is. further characterized by its ability to be folded into a compact flat pack- -agewhich is exceedingly important because of the fact that the seats may be shippedand stored, and thus take up the least possible space. V

i The invention is to be distinguished from similar devices in that no staples or fastening means are attached, and that it can be knocked down with only one folding operation. In other words, a number of operations are not necessary, such as disconnecting and con .necting flaps and similar means now in use on boxes. As far as I amaware I am the first ..to providea seat having the above characteristics and advantages.

A furtheradvantage, arising partly from from the resilient character of the material, is that even when folded the seats have some tendency to unfold, and asa consequence if the spectators become excited and throw the seats around they will open up and auto matically check their speed through the air with the result that. it is impossible to throw them in such a manner as to injure anyone, because their striking speed, even when thrown a short distance with. considerable force will be very slight due to the air resistance.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and; related ends, said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim;

the annexed drawings and the following {description set-ting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disc'losed means constituting, however, but one ofvar-ious mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used. In said annexed drawings Fi-g. 1 is a perspectivev view of a seat in opened position Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the seat in k-nockeddown or folded EpOSition; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the seat is made; Fig. 4.: is a vertical sectional viewon the line &-d of Fig. 5;; Fig.

5 is a sectional vieWonl-ine 5=5:ofFi-g. .4; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional viewon the line 5--5,

Fig. 4t,.-showing the position of the flaps when the :back port-ion is pressed partially backward.

Referring now to the drawings, and espec-rease 11 extends longitudinally across the eially to Fig. 3, it will be seenlthat my proved seat consists of .aniain base portion 1, a back portion 2 and side portions 3 andt. A

base portion. Theicrease l2 performs a similar service and divides the back portion 2 from the-side portion 3, it being understood that the base portion remains inhor'izontal position while the back portion is bentupwardly along the crease'll, andthe side portion 3 is turned inwardly so that this side portion isaligned with one edge Mofthebase portion ,1. The same construction is usedxat theopposite side of the seat where :theaside W3 portion 4; is bent along the crease 13, thus aligning the side portion and the edge 15 of the base. Each of the side portions are provided with two creases, one of which is shown at 6 on the side 3, and 17 on the side 3. The crease 17 divides the flap 7 from the remainder of the side portion, and likewise the crease l6 divides the flap 8 from the remainder of the side l; The creases 5 and 6, which are inwardly directed creases, are so placed as to permit ready folding of the back portion 2 down upon the base portion 1. The base portion 1 is extended ina direction opposite from the back portion to provide a flap 9 which is divided from the base portion bymeans of a double crease 10 so that said flap 9 will lie underneath. The double crease allows the flaps 7 and 8 to be turned inwardly and under the base portion, and the flap 9 will lie below them and hold them in place, allowing pressure to be exerted on the back portion without any danger of the seat pulling apart and without the necessity of staples or other fasteners being used.

These flaps are so dimensioned that when folded some space is left between their respective inner edges, and also between their front edges and the double crease 10, all as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The

effect of this is to allow some adjustment of the seat to the size of the user. When asmall person uses the seat the flaps 7, and 8 Wlll v take the position shown in Fig. 1, but a large user will spread the sides so that the flaps willstake a" position with the front inner corners further apart and forward against double crease 10. This automatic adjustment, together with the resiliency of the material, makes a single size of seat suitable and comfortable for either large or small people.

It will be readily apparent that the seat can be made from one piece of corrugated paper board, and the cost of manufacture. is

'very slight when compared with the utility of the resulting product.

7 The drawings also illustrate the use of my seat as a sign, and while I have shown advertising matter upon the back and side portions, it will be readily understood that advertising matter may be placed upon the inside of the back or even upon the base portion. As stated before, the back presents a resilient or spring support for a sitter which is extremely advantageous where long games are in progress. This resiliency is brought about by the fact that the flaps '7 and 8 are turned inwardly at right angles to the direction of strain and can give slightly, as pointed out,

' a large occupant.

I From the foregoing description it will be readily apparent that I have provided a which allows a person to sit comfortably while watching games of long duration or other events, such as automobile races. Another feature of my invention is the ability of the box to be folded flat as shown in Fig. 2 by one folding operation without the use of fasteners or other similar devices, thus enabling easy handling for shipping, distributing, selling and carrying. Lastly, the value. of my seat as an advertising medium is thought to be greater than any other means usually presented in places where such a seat is liable to be used. For instance, in the present day bowls or stadia there is no place or space for advertising signs, and the only means present is that of a program, but a program is usually read only by one person, whereas advertising matter upon my seat is visible to many people sitting in the rear or to the sideof. said seat.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by the following claim or the equivalentof such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention A folding seat of pasteboard or like material comprising a blank having an elongated rectangular central part, a right triangular part on each side of the upper portion thereof having one leg also forming a side of said upper portion and the other leg perpendicular to said side, and a smaller rectangle below each perpendicular leg, attached to said leg along one side, a transverse fold across said central part in" line with the perpendicular legs of said triangle, the portion of said central part above said fold constituting a seat back, a second transverse fold across "said central part near the lower end, the portion of said central part between said first and second foldsconstituting a seat bottom, said seat bottom being only slightly longer than the length along the triangle leg of said smaller rectangle, and being wider than the combined other rectangulardimensions of said smaller rectangles, the portion below said second fold being adapted to turn under the front edge of said seat bottom, folds inward approximately bisecting the right angles of said triangles whereby when said back portion is raised said smaller rectangles are positioned undersaid seat portion out of mutransverse fold.

tual contact, with their original outside edges held between said seat portion and said turned under portion, parallel to but slightly behind the front edge of said second named Signed by me this 29th day of September,

ELROY P. SHERMAN. 

